Jewish weddings carry rich, meaningful traditions, with some variation across Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform practice. Here is a plain-English glossary of the key Jewish wedding terms you will hear in the GTA.
The chuppah is the canopy under which the Jewish wedding ceremony takes place, open on all sides to symbolize the couple's new home and their welcome to family and community. It can be a simple cloth on poles or an elaborate floral structure, and it is a focal point of the ceremony.
The ketubah is the Jewish marriage contract, outlining the husband's obligations to the wife. It is signed before the ceremony in front of witnesses and is often a beautiful piece of art the couple displays in their home.
The bedeken is the veiling, when the groom veils the bride before the ceremony. Yichud is the private time the couple spends alone immediately after the ceremony — their first moments as a married couple, traditionally including breaking their wedding-day fast.
The hora is the celebratory circle dance, famously including lifting the couple on chairs. Breaking the glass — the groom (or couple) stepping on a glass at the end of the ceremony, met with shouts of "Mazel tov!" — recalls the destruction of the Temple and marks the joyful start of the celebration.
The Big Bang Events helps you find GTA vendors who understand Jewish weddings — chuppah and decor, kosher caterers, and bands that can lead a hora.
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